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Synchronizing Shared CRM Contacts with Outlook

What do you do when more than one CRM user needs to synchronize their Outlook contacts with the same CRM contact record? By default, the CRM Outlook Client is set to synchronize CRM contacts to Outlook contacts based on the owner of the CRM contact record. For CRM users who share contact records, this isn’t the ideal solution.

Using CRM marketing lists is one simple alternative. The idea is to replace the default contact synchronization rule for each user with a custom rule that references a marketing list. The user can manage the contacts in the marketing list, regardless of who owns the CRM contact record (depending on the user’s security role access level). The marketing list is then used to determine which CRM contact records should be synchronized with Outlook for that user.

First, create the user’s marketing list in CRM. Make sure to choose Contacts as the Targeted At type and Static as the List Type. Be sure to give the marketing list a descriptive name, such as “JOECRM Outlook Synchronization List”. Be sure NOT to create a dynamic marketing list for the purpose of synchronizing with Outlook.

Now, add the desired CRM contacts to the marketing list. Just as an example, the following screenshots show how to use advanced find to search for contact records owned by JOECRM or contact records whose department equals Purchasing. Of course, use meaningful search criteria that will meet your requirements or use the lookup option to manually select the contact records you want.

Now that the marketing list is set up in CRM, open Outlook and navigate to the CRM Synchronization Outlook Filters menu. The example below shows how to do this in Microsoft Outlook 2013.

Click My Outlook Contacts in the User Filters list.

Change the filter so that it is using the marketing list that was set up in CRM and save the changes.

Now, all the Contact records that are in the JOECRM Outlook Synchronization List will synchronize to Outlook contacts for this CRM Outlook Client!

This is just a simple example of using marketing lists to synchronize CRM contacts with Outlook Ccontacts. As always, if you need assistance the CRM Experts at PowerObjects are here to help!!

Joe D365

Joe D365 is a Microsoft Dynamics 365 superhero who runs on pure Dynamics adrenaline. As the face of PowerObjects, Joe D365’s mission is to reveal innovative ways to use Dynamics 365 and bring the application to more businesses and organizations around the world.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online provides a sandbox (development and/or test environment) associated with your production CRM environment. You can create a “full” copy, which includes the data or you can also

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online provides a sandbox (development and/or test environment) associated with your production CRM environment. You can create a “full” copy, which includes the data or you can also

PowerObjects, an HCL Technologies Company is a leader in delivering Microsoft Business Applications solutions and the Dynamics 365 workloads through unparalleled offerings of service, support, education, and add-ons. Winner of the 2018 Microsoft US Partner Award for Business Applications in Dynamics Customer Service, PowerObjects strives to be the number one Microsoft Business Applications Provider in the world by delivering solutions that help organizations increase productivity, streamline business processes, and build better relationships.